Buoyant life-boat.



ANASTASI. BUOYANT LIFE BOAT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1914.

1,124,248. Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

- 20 Imvcmwmm A. ANASTASI.

BUOYANT LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. ANASTASI.

BUOYANT LIFE BOAT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1914 1,124,248. PatentedJan. 12, 1915.

8 SHEETS-SHEBT 3.

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ANTHONY ANAS'IASI, OF- BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ANASTASI LIFE-BOAT COMPANY, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BUOYANT LIFE-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27, 191%. Serial No. 858,856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY ANAs'rAsI, a subject of the King of Italy,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buoyant Life-Boats, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buoyant lifeboats which may be folded so as tooccupy the least amount of space while positioned on the deck of a ship,and when required for use may be easily and readily opened to provide alifeboat of high capacity, which affords its passengers convenience,protection against both the weather and seas, and every facility forcontrolling the boat and bringing it (with its passengers) to a place ofsafety.

Another object of the invention is to provide an emergency foldingbuoyant lifeboat which may be put into working order easily and quickly,and which affords the passengers of the same every facility for enablingthem to manage the same agalnst the various conditions met with on thewaters ;permitting the accommodation of a greater number of passengersthan the ordinary types of lifeboats, and providing a lifeboat with asailing equipment for enabling the passengers to sail and guide the boatto a point of safety.

Another object is to provide a folding buoyant lifeboat, equipped withnecessary appliances for aifording the passengers thereof every facilityfor safeguarding them and for directing the boat against the conditionsof the weather and the seas, as well as providing them with means forsailing to a point of safety ;the boat being dissigned, when positionedon the deck of a ship, to occupy about the same space as is occupied bythe ordinary type of lifeboat, but when unfolded and open for use in thewater, has a greater capacity for carrying and accommodating passengersthan the ordinary lifeboat,-assuring the passengers safety against theconditions of the weather and the seas, as well as offering them everymeans for directing and bringing the boat to a point of safety in lesstime than can be expected from other types of lifeboats. I

Still another object is to provide a folding buoyant lifeboat of highpassenger carrying capacity, which may be easily lowered into the waterand which may be boats together against folding.

readily rigged to permit the sailing thereof to a point of safety.

To these as well as other ends, my invent1on cons sts in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and'arrangement of parts set forthin the following specification and particularly pointed out in thesubjoined claims.

Briefly, the preferred form of my invention comprises the hingingtogether of two buoyant boats or rafts, for enabling them to fold oneover the other, when not in use and posltioned on the deck of a shipequipped with the same,the lower boat being provided with two uprightposts which may be used as derricks for opening the boats apart, and asmasts for carrying sails when the boat is lowered into the water for usein cases of emergency. The boats are provided with sails (preferably ofthe square rigging type), which may be readily hoisted on the masts, arudder for steering purposes, and means for coupling and holding the twoThe boats are also provided with water-proof awnings or curtains whichmay be stretched over the same for protecting the passengers bothagainst the weather and seas,thereby pro ducing a buoyant lifeboat withsafe means for enabling the same to carry its passengers to a point ofsafety and also to protect them against the conditions of the sea whileen route.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention:-Figure 1, is an end view of my type of lifeboat folded andpositionedon the deck of a ship and ready for use in case of emergency. Fig. 2, isthe same View as Fig. 1, but shows the upper boat hoisted from thefolded position, representing the first operation of the handling of theboat just prior to the lowering of the same into the water. Fig. 3, is aplan view of the boat in the open and unfolded position, showing onehalf of the same covered with the water-proof awning or curtain. Fig. 4,is a view showing the folded buoyant lifeboat in position on the deck ofa ship. Fig. 5, is a view showing two positions of the lifeboat, thedotted position indicating the boat swung from the deck on the davitsand ready for lowering, while the lower position shows the boat loweredinto the water and open in working position ready for the hoisting ofthe sails. Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the lifeboat lowered in thewater, with but one of the sails hoisted, showing the boat ready foruse. Fig. 7, 1s a side view of the boat showing the same under sail,with both sails hoisted and with the rudder for steering the boatattached thereto. Fig. 8, is a sectional View taken through themid-section of the boats when unfolded and coupled together for use,showing the air-chambers in the bottoms of the same for providing theboats with the buoyant feature.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the numeral 1is the hull of a ship, having the deck 2, which is provided with thedavits 3, which davits are in turn provided with the tackle consistingof the upper pulley 4 and the lower pulley 5 equipped with the rope orcable 6 which may be fastened to .the cleat 7 which is fixed to thedavit 3. The lowerpulley 5 is provided with the hookf8 for engaging withthe lifeboat supports 9 which are fastened to the ends 10 of the lowerboat 11. The lower boat 11 is preferably provided with the common typeof roller casters 12 which permit easy handiing'of the lifeboat on thedeck 2. The upper boat 13 is hinged to the lower boat 11 by means of thehinges 14, which connect the inner sides 15 and 16 of the boats 11 and13, respectively.

The lower boat 11 is provided with the masts 17, which are rigidlysecured thereto, and which are provided with the tackles 18 and 19,'thetackle 18 being connected with the side 20 of the boat 13 for handlingthe same, while the tackle 19 is provided for the raising of the sails21. The mast 17 is braced by the brace 22, which is fixed to the lowerboat 11.

The boats 11 and 13 are coupled together by means of the coupling-ropesor cable '23 which are positioned at both ends of the boat and whichhave the ends '24 permanently fastened to the boat 13. The conplin'gropes pass through the eye-bolts 25 and preferably come through theholes 26 in the boat 11 and are coupled with the cleats 27 provided forthe purpose.

The boats 11 and 13 are provided with the air-chambers 28 for producingthe buoyant feature in the same, which enables them to carry appreciableloads and to resist sinking. T e boats 11 and 13 are also provided withthe water-proof awnings or curtains 29 which are preferably made ofcanvas and may beistre'tched over the tops of the boats by means of theawning-ropes 30, which ropes may be fastened to the cleats 31v pro videdin the boats 11 and 13 for the purose.

The boats may be preferably provided with the benches or bunks 32 whichprovide the storing-room '33 betweenfthe bun-ks 32 and the flooring 31'. The boats may also as shown in Figs. 3 and 7.

Having thus described the parts of my invention inpdetail, the manner inwhich be provided with the rudder 35 which may I be attached to eitherend of the open boat,

the same is used is as follows :The normal position of the.lifeboat isthe folded position, as shown in Fig. 1, where the same rests on thedeck 2 on the casters 12, with the lifeboat supports 9 coupled to thelowering tackle provided on the davits 3,the folded boat being supportedin any suitable manner against movin ,on the deck from the positionshown in ig.-1. As soon' as necessity requires the use of thelifeboatand the same is to be lowered into the water, the firstoperation of the crew should be the raising of the upper boat 13, bymeans of the tackle 18 provided for the purpose, raising the same to thepreferred position, shown in Fig. 2. After this is done, the supportsthat are used for keeping the boat in position on the ship may beremoved and the rope 6 may be released from the cleat 7 for raising theboat from the deck 2. The davits 3 are then swung outward from the ship1 (as shown in Fig. 5) and the boat is then lowered into the water bythe slackening of the rope 6, as shown. One or two members of the crewmay get into the boat while, the. same is being lowered, and when theboat nears the water may open the upper boat 11 bymeans of the tackle 18to the lower position, shown in Fig. 5. As soon as the boat 13 is thusopened and lowered into the Water by pulling inthe couplingropes orcables 23 until the sides 15 and 16 are butt'ed together, as shown inFig. 8, and securing the ropes 23 to the cleats 27, the boats 11 and 13are coupled together and form one open boat, as shown in Fig. 6. Afterthe lifeboat is lowered, the same may be filled with passengers and thelifeboatsupports -9 may be released from the hooks 8 and thereby freethe lifeboat from the ship 1. The rudder 35 may be set in position, (asshown in Fig. 7) and the sails 21 may be hoisted on the tackle 19provided therefor, and by the crew or passengers manning the sails andthe rudder, the boat may be directed to a point of safety with verylittle trouble.

If a covering is re uired for shielding the passengers against t eweather conditions or the conditions of the sea, the curtain or awning29 may be drawn over the boat by means of theropes 30, which may befastened to the cleats 27 for keeping the awnings in position. equippedwith the necessary incidentals that may be required for the comfort anduse of' requiredto be agampositioned'on the deck The boats may be i of aship,the sails 21 may be lowered, folded or rolled in aroller, (as shownin Figs. 3 and 6) and positioned within the boat. The awnings may berolled back as shown in the boat 11 in Figs. 3 and 8 and in the boat 13in Fig. 6. The coupling-ropes 23 may be disengaged from the cleats 27which will free the boat 13 so that it may be hoisted by the tackle 18and folded over the boat 11. The lifeboat supports 9 may be thenengaged-with the hooks 8 of the pulleys 5, and the boat may be hoistedon the davits 3 with the cables or ropes 6, for positioning the boat onthe deck 2 of the ship 1 (as shown in Fig. 1) again ready for service.

It may be observed that this type of folding-buoyant-lifeboat offersevery advantage for saving passengers of ships meeting with accidentswhile on the waters, and permits the accommodation and handling of manymore passengers than could possibly be taken care of by the ordinarytypes of lifeboats.

This type of boat practically takes the place of a large raft, but isspecially equipped to provide comfort and t 1e passengers that itcarries,the same being built of any desired size, depending upon thenumber of passengers to be cared for.

While I have shown the boat provided with the air-chamber for producingthe buoyant feature, I do not wish to be limited against eliminatingthat feature and using the plain boats in the same manner, as has beenheretofore described.

It may be understood that while the boat is provided with sailing means,the same need not be employed where it is not required, and whenrequired the boat affords the use of one sail or two sails, which may beeasily hoisted in position and manned by the passengers. Also, while Ihave shown the rudder attached to one end of the lifeboat, the same maybe attached to the opposite end to equal advantage, when desired.

It may be further understood that while I have not shown any accessoriesor other incidentals usually found equipped in lifeboats, the same maybe easily provided in this type of lifeboat, there being ample space tostore same within the boats.

While the preferred embodiments of my invention have been described indetail, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to theparticular construction set forth, material, proportion, arrangement ofparts, and in the details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, or destroying anyof the advantages contained in the same,

heretofore described and defined in the subjoined claims.

- \Vhat I claim is 1. The combination of together and adapted to twoboats hinged be folded one over safety for since various changes in theform,

the other; means for folding and unfolding the same; means for couplingthe same together when unfolded; means for sailing the unfolded andcoupled boats; means for steering the coupled boats and means for cover-'.ing the tops of the boats, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of two buoyant boats hinged together and adapted tobe normally folded one over the other; means for folding and unfoldingthe same; coupling the same together when in theunfolded and openposition; means for sailing the boat; means for steering the boat; meansfor covering the boat; and supporting means, substantially as shown.

3. The combination of two independent boats provided with buoyantchambers and adapted to be folded one over the other; upright postsprovided at the ends of one of said boats and rigidly secured theretoand provided with tackles for the handling of the other of said boatsand with extra tackles; coupling means adapted to rigidly secure theboats when unfolded and open for use; sailing means adapted to behoisted on said extra tackle of said upright posts; steering meansadapted to be secured to said open boat; water-proof awnings provided ineach of said boats for covering the same against the conditions of thesea and weather, for protecting the interiors of said boats,substantially as shown.

4. The combination of two rectangular shaped buoyant boats, foldablyhinged together and adapted to be normally folded one over the other;masts rigidly secured to the folding side of one of said boats at theends of the same, and provided with a plurality of tackle outfits, oneof said tackles engaging with the other of said boats for handling thesame; coupling-cables or ropes provided at the ends of said boats andadapted to secure the boats together when open, against folding; sailingmeans adapted to engage with the tackle provided on said masts forhoisting the same into working 1 position; a rudder adapted to besecured to an end of said open rality of tackle outfits, one of saidtackles other of said boats for coupling-cables or ropes of said boatsand engaging with the handling the same; provided at the ends means forboat for steering the same; awnlngs provided at the outer sides adaptedto secure the boats together, when open, against folding; sailing meansadapted to enga e with he tackle provided on said 'masts $01? hoistingthe same into working position; a rudder adapted to be secured to an endof said open boat for steering the same; rolling awnings provided at thesides of said boats and adapted to be unrolled for covering the same;and ."supporting means adapted to engage with the tackle L rovided onthe davits ofthe ship for raismg or lowering the lifeboat, substantiallyas shown. 4 r

v nm* b. The combination of a plurality of boats sailing the unit boat;means for steering the unit boat; and means for covering the boat,substantially as shown.

ANTHONY ASTASI. Witnesses:

R. Lronrnnsmn, B. H. GHnRToK.

